THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 16, 1994 TAG: 9408170583
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: DAY TRIPPING
LENGTH: Long : 134 lines
BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE was once a regular in these waters.
From 1716 to 1718, Blackbeard and his crew of 700 robbed anything sailing in and out of the Hampton Harbor.
The governor of Virginia finally said enough and hired some British heavies who tracked Blackbeard down in North Carolina. Blackbeard gave a good fight, being stabbed 20 times and shot five times before falling and getting beheaded.
Hampton Roads wasn't left out; we got the coveted prize - Blackbeard's head, which was hung on a pole on the shore of the Hampton Harbor.
As the story goes, it hung there for years.
Tourists on the Hampton Harbor cruise can see the ivy-covered tree where the pole once stood and many other nuggets of local history with a cruise on the Miss Hampton II. The 65-foot cruise boat leaves the downtown Hampton visitors center and glides through the harbor and history as it makes its way into the Chesapeake Bay and waterways around Hampton Roads.
There's the outline of Newport News as the boat turns into the Bay, the city established by Christopher Newport. Newport set up a store and became known for his wares, as well as the gossip and news he picked up from his travelers. People would soon travel many miles for ``Newport's News.''
The Strawberry Banks hotel now sits on a spot that was once a favorite of Capt. John Smith, leader of the colony that settled in Jamestown. His crew, many of whom suffered from scurvy because of the long journey, landed on the bank during the height of strawberry season.
They chowed down on strawberries, which helped rid the scurvy, and continued their journey.
The area became known as Old Point Comfort because it was such a ``great comfort'' to Smith and his crew. It's now known as Fort Monroe.
One of the highlights of the tour is an odd little island called Fort Wool. Sitting next to the South Island of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, Fort Wool was established in 1819 as the companion installation to Fort Monroe.
It helped in the battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack and served as a first line of defense during both world wars. Robert E. Lee helped supervise its construction, and Andrew Jackson used it as a vacation home.
It's now a hub of American military history and architecture. There's an hourlong guided tour and a living history program, which features a Civil War encampment with tents, equipment and tour guides dressed in period clothing.
The spot also offers a breathtaking view of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News and Hampton.
The last leg of the tour is a cruise along the Norfolk Naval Base and a view of the warships, guided missile cruisers and nuclear-powered submarines.
Kids loved it, especially when a few of the helicopters and planes flew in for landing.
It also was wonderful to watch the watermen at work, their boats dipping dangerously low to one side as their cranes gathered clams from the floor of the Bay and pulled up the catch.
The Miss Hampton II is very comfortable. Passengers can walk freely around the upper and lower decks. It has bathrooms and a snack bar with cheeseburgers, soft drinks and beer. Lunch can be ordered and taken to the picnicking area on Fort Wool, but beer drinkers have to stay on the boat.
The cruise takes about three hours, but the downtown Hampton area has many other attractions.
Carousel Park, a short walk away from the visitors center, houses a restored 1920 merry-go-round. The Hampton Carousel is one of only 70 turn-of-the-century carousels left in the United States.
The Virginia Air and Space Center, the official visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center, is about a parking lot away. It includes the Hampton Roads History Center, which features a journey from colonial days to the culture of today's watermen. The center's IMAX theater and exhibit area change features regularly.
strawberries, which helped rid the scurvy, and continued their journey.
The area became known as Old Point Comfort because it was such a ``great comfort'' to Smith and his crew. It's now known as Fort Monroe.
One of the highlights of the tour is an odd little island called Fort Wool. Sitting next to the South Island of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, Fort Wool was established in 1819 as the companion installation to Fort Monroe.
It helped in the battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack and served as a first line of defense during both world wars. Robert E. Lee helped supervise its construction, and Andrew Jackson used it as a vacation home.
It's now a hub of American military history and architecture. There's an hourlong guided tour and a living history program, which features a Civil War encampment with tents, equipment and tour guides dressed in period clothing.
The spot also offers a breathtaking view of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News and Hampton.
The last leg of the tour is a cruise along the Norfolk Naval Base and a view of the warships, guided missile cruisers and nuclear-powered submarines.
Kids loved it, especially when a few of the helicopters and planes flew in for landing.
It also was wonderful to watch the watermen at work, their boats dipping dangerously low to one side as their cranes gathered clams from the floor of the Bay and pulled up the catch.
The Miss Hampton II is very comfortable. Passengers can walk freely around the upper and lower decks. It has bathrooms and a snack bar with cheeseburgers, soft drinks and beer. Lunch can be ordered and taken to the picnicking area on Fort Wool, but beer drinkers have to stay on the boat.
The cruise takes about three hours, but the downtown Hampton area has many other attractions.
Carousel Park, a short walk away from the visitors center, houses a restored 1920 merry-go-round. The Hampton Carousel is one of only 70 turn-of-the-century carousels left in the United States.
The Virginia Air and Space Center, the official visitor center for NASA Langley Research Center, is about a parking lot away. It includes the Hampton Roads History Center, which features a journey from colonial days to the culture of today's watermen. The center's IMAX theater and exhibit area change features regularly.
Parking is available dockside in the garage. ILLUSTRATION: Files Photos
Fort Wool was established in 1819 and helped in the battle of the
Monitor and the Merrimack.
Graphic
FORT WOOL
Amenities: A snack bar with hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream, soft
drinks and cookies. Bathroom on board also.
Tickets: Harbor Cruise fares are $13.50 for adults and $11.50 for
seniors. Children under 12 are $7 and infants are free. Reservations
are suggested.
Harbor Cruises are run from April through September, with tours
leaving at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. through Sept. 5.
From Sept. 6 to Oct. 31, tours will be at 10 a.m. only.
On Sept. 18, Fort Wool will be the host of the third annual Day
on the Bay, with food, music, re-enactments and boatbuilding
exhibitions.
For more information about any of the programs or exhibits, call
the Hampton Visitors Center at 1-727-1102, 1-722-9102 or (800)
244-1040.
by CNB